What is the history of Halloween? How has it progressed through the years?
History of Halloween Its Origins Historically, the practice of Halloween can be traced back several 100 years before the birth of Christ. The Celts were a pre-Christian culture that was served by priests and druids. We learn about them through the Greek writers and the Roman Caesars. Early record of them has also been found in Ireland. In 47 BC the Romans defeated the Celts and outlawed their human sacrifice. Many trace Halloween’s origins to a festival of death, darkness, demons, superstitions, and worshipping the dead celebrated by the Celtic Druids of England. This group worshipped the sun god and built bonfires. “Bon” means good so these were meant to be “good fires” to appease the sun god so that the sun would come back again. Human sacrifice was made on these “good fires” and it was done at the end of the year when the days began to grow short and the sun shines less. During his reign, Pope Gregory the Great incorporated the Druid festivals into the church. He decreed that they c
